Compositions for use in vehicle wash comprising a micro-organism

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a composition suitable for use as in a vehicle wash which composition includes a micro-organism to digest organic matter washed from the vehicle. By including a microorganism in wash water used in a vehicle wash, there are various advantages including the fact that dosing of the vehicle wash by the micro-organism is proportional to the use of the vehicle wash. Thus the more the vehicle wash is used, generally the more organic matter will accumulate but as dosing is proportional to use, more micro-organism is supplied to combat the increased level of organic matter. As a result the growth rate of organic matter is greatly reduced allowing wash water to be recycled for longer resulting in reduced operating costs for the vehicle wash, especially as there is less or no need to apply a biocide to control foul odour.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a national phase of International PatentApplication No. PCT/GB03/02455, filed Jun. 9, 2003, published on Dec.18, 2003 as International Patent Publication No. WO 03/104367, whichclaims priority to Great Britain Patent Application Serial No.0213097.9, filed on Jun. 7, 2002, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety herein.

The present invention provides a new biodegradable detergent compositionand wash water additive for use in a vehicle wash and methods ofoperating a vehicle wash using the detergent composition or additive.

A problem in vehicle wash areas is that organic material washed from thevehicles accumulates. As a result the vehicle wash area must be cleanedfrom time to time and the contaminated water in the sump of the vehiclewash must occasionally be emptied. A further problem is that thematerial can rot leading to the production of foul odours or it canpromote the growth of algae. Normally attempts are made to control foulodours by applying a biocide. Commonly commercial vehicle washes havewater collection tanks to which waste wash water can drain. It is knownto dose such water collection tanks with a preparation ofmicro-organisms to digest the organic material in the waste water. It isnow recognised that such dosing is inconvenient and, for it to beeffective, the operator of the commercial vehicle wash must remember todo it.

A way of ameliorating these problems has been sought.

According to the invention there is provided a detergent compositionsuitable for use in a vehicle wash which composition includes amicro-organism and a detergent.

According to the invention there is further provided a wash wateradditive for use in wash water in a vehicle wash which additive includesa micro-organism.

According to the invention there is also provided a method of operatinga vehicle wash which includes means for dispensing water, means fordispensing a detergent composition and optionally one or more vehiclewashing devices, which method includes providing a micro-organism in thedetergent composition and/or in the wash water.

By including a micro-organism in the detergent composition or in washwater used in a vehicle wash, there are various advantages including thefact that dosing of the vehicle wash by the micro-organism isproportional to the use of the vehicle wash. Thus the more the vehiclewash is used, generally the more organic matter will accumulate but asdosing is proportional to use, more micro-organism is supplied to combatthe increased level of organic matter. As a result the growth rate oforganic matter is greatly reduced allowing wash water to be recycled forlonger resulting in reduced operating costs for the vehicle wash,especially as there is less or no need to apply a biocide to controlfoul odour.

A further advantage is that the micro-organism is sprayed with thedetergent composition or wash water and so it can reach all parts of thevehicle wash. Therefore accumulation of organic material in inaccessibleparts of a vehicle wash can be prevented by the use of the compositionor additive according to the invention or of the method according to theinvention.

Vehicle wash areas can be slippery because of organic films or algaegrowth. Eventually it is necessary to clean vehicle washes to deal withthis problem. A further advantage of the invention is that this problemis reduced without the need for additional cleaning.

The invention may be applied to a vehicle wash which is suitable forwashing a car, bus, lorry, caravan or train. Preferably it is for usewith a car or a bus wash. The vehicle wash optionally is operated eitherautomatically (e.g. a drive-through vehicle wash) or manually.

A range of micro organisms may be used as the micro organism in theinvention. Preferably the micro organism is naturally occurring. Morepreferably the micro organism is capable of degrading organic matter,particularly that washed from a vehicle, more particularly oil, fatand/or organic material such as dirt e.g. soil, plant waste etc.

An automatically operated vehicle wash generally includes one or morevehicle washing devices such as a rotating brush, one or more means forsupplying wash water such as nozzles or spray heads especially fordispensing wash water under pressure and one or more means for supplyinga detergent composition which may be the same or different to the meansfor supplying wash water and are generally in the form of nozzles orspray heads. It may optionally further comprise one or more dryers. Itis generally housed in a building. It has been found that with aconventional detergent, dirt from a vehicle can be spread throughout thebuilding through the combined action of the rotating brushes andpressurised water. This can render the building difficult to clean. Theadvantage of the invention is that a micro-organism is sprayedthroughout the building as well.

The composition according to the invention is preferably an aqueouscomposition. The micro organism is preferably a naturally occurringmicro organism selected for its ability to digest organic matter. Theselection of suitable micro organisms will be straight forward for oneof skill in the art. The composition optionally additionally comprises apreservative, an alkali metal halide (particularly sodium chloride), oneor more surfactants, and/or a dye. A surfactant for use in the inventionis optionally ionic, particularly amphoteric or anionic, or non ionic.The surfactant is preferably in the form of a blend of differentsurfactants. Examples of suitable anionic surfactants include an alkalimetal alkylbenzene sulphonate such as sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate,for example Bio-Soft SDBS 60 (Trade name) manufactured by Stepan UK Ltdor an alkali metal alkyl ethoxysulphate, for example sodium laurylethoxy (3EO) sulphate such as Empicol ESC 3/G2 (Trade name) manufacturedby Huntsman Surface Sciences. An example of a non-ionic surfactant is analcohol ethoxylate such as POE-(11)-synthetic primary C₁₃/C₁₅ alcohol,for example Synperonic A11 (Trade name) manufactured by Uniqema.

The additive and/or composition preferably includes from 1 to 10 weight% of a micro-organism, preferably from 3 to 8 weight % of amicro-organism, more preferably about 5 weight % of a micro-organism.Preferably, the composition further includes from 0.1 to 2 weight % of apreservative, more preferably from 0.3 to 1 weight % of a preservative,most preferably about 0.5 weight % of a preservative. Preferably thecomposition includes from 1 to 40 weight % of a surfactant and/or adetergent, preferably from 5 to 30 weight %, most preferably about 20weight % of a surfactant and/or a detergent. Preferably the compositionincludes from 0.5 to 5 weight % of an alkali metal halide, morepreferably from 1 to 3 weight %, most preferably about 2 weight %.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a methodof reducing algae growth in a vehicle wash including means for supplyinga detergent, means for supplying wash water and one or more vehiclewashing devices, which method includes providing a micro-organism in thedetergent composition and/or in the wash water. The method according tothe second aspect of the invention preferably reduces build up oforganic contaminants in a vehicle wash.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a methodof treating a vehicle wash with a micro-organism wherein the rate oftreating is proportional to the rate of use of the vehicle wash whichvehicle wash includes means for supplying wash water, means forsupplying a detergent composition and one or more vehicle washingdevices, wherein the method includes the step of providing amicro-organism in the wash water and/or in the detergent composition.

According to the invention there is further provided the use of amicro-organism in a detergent composition and/or in wash water for usein a vehicle wash.

The invention will now be further explained with reference to thefollowing examples which are provided by way of illustration only.

EXAMPLE 1

A detergent composition was prepared by mixing together the ingredientsshown in Table 1 to a total weight of 10 kg.

TABLE 1 Ingredient Amount/% w/w Water 72.983 Bioban CS 1246 ^((a)) 0.500Bio-Soft SDBS 60 ^((b)) 7.800 Empicol ESC3/G2 ^((c)) 10.000 DrimareneBrill Green 3-XG ^((d)) 0.017 Synperonic A11 ^((e)) 2.000 Bichem GC 700LNS (10X NF) ^((f)) 5.000 Sodium chloride 1.700 Total 100.00 Wherein^((a)) Bioban CS 1246 (Trade name) is a preservative (antibacterialagent) containing oxazolidine (1-aza-3,7-dioxa-5-ethylbicyclo (3.3.0)octane) manufactured by Angus Chemie GmbH. ^((b)) Bio-Soft SDBS 60(Trade name) is an aqueous solution of a sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate manufactured by Steppan UK Limited. ^((c)) Empicol ESC 3/G2(Trade name) is an aqueous solution of sodium lauryl ethoxy (3EO)sulphate manufactured by Huntsman Surface Sciences. ^((d)) DrimareneBrill Green 3-XG (Trade name) is a reactive nickel phthalocyaninedyestuff, manufactured by Clariant UK Limited. ^((e)) Synperonic A11(Trade name) is a POE-(II)-synthetic primary C₁₃/C₁₅ alcoholmanufactured by Uniqema. ^((f)) Bichem GC 700L NS (10X NF) (Trade name)is a liquid preparation containing greater than 99% Bacillusmicroorganisms in a water base, manufactured by Novozymes Biologicals,France S.A.

The composition was used in an automatically operated car wash. After 8weeks it was found that there was a 75% reduction in the growth rate ofwaste, complete elimination of foul odour in recycled water andreduction in slipperiness in the wash floor area. In other measuredtests the reduction in the growth rate of waste was greater than 50%.

EXAMPLE 2

A wash water additive composition of 10 kg in weight was prepared bymixing the ingredients shown in Table 2 in the proportions given:

TABLE 2 Ingredient Amount/% w/w Water 94.983 Drimarene Brill Green 3-XG0.017 Bichem GC 700L NS (10X NF) 5.000

1. A composition suitable for use as a wash water additive in wash waterin a vehicle wash which composition consists of: (a) from 1 to 10 weight% of a micro-organism for degrading a substance selected from the groupconsisting of oil, fat and organic material; (b) from 0.1 to 2 weight %of a preservative; (c) from 1 to 40 weight % of a part selected from thegroup consisting of a surfactant, a detergent, and the combinationthereof; (d) from 1 to 3 weight % of an alkali metal halide; and (e) thebalance being water.
 2. A composition suitable for use as a detergentcomposition in a vehicle wash which composition consists of: (a) from 1to 10 weight % of a micro-organism for degrading a substance selectedfrom the group consisting of oil, fat and organic material; (b) from 0.1to 2 weight % of a preservative; (c) from 1 to 40 weight % of a partselected from the group consisting of a detergent or a detergent and asurfactant; (d) from 1 to 3 weight % of an alkali metal halide; and (e)the balance being water.
 3. A composition as defined in claim 1 whereinthe micro-organism is naturally occurring.
 4. A method of operating avehicle wash which includes means for dispensing water, means fordispensing a detergent composition and one or more vehicle washingdevices, comprising the step of providing a composition as defined inclaim
 1. 5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein the vehicle wash isfor a vehicle selected from the group consisting of a car, bus, lorry,caravan and a train.
 6. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein thevehicle wash is operated automatically.
 7. A method of reducing algaegrowth in a vehicle wash including means for supplying a detergent,means for supplying wash water and one or more vehicle washing devices,which method includes providing a composition as defined in claim
 1. 8.A method of treating a vehicle wash with a micro-organism wherein therate of treating is proportional to the rate of use of the vehicle washwhich vehicle wash includes means for supplying wash water, means forsupplying a detergent composition and one or more vehicle washingdevices, comprising the step of providing a composition as defined inclaim
 1. 9. A composition as defined in claim 1, wherein the weight % ofthe micro-organism is from 3 to
 8. 10. A composition as defined in claim1, wherein the weight % of the micro-organism is about
 5. 11. Acomposition as defined in claim 1, wherein the weight % of thepreservative is from 0.3 to
 1. 12. A composition as defined in claim 1,wherein the weight % of the preservative is about 0.5.
 13. A compositionas defined in claim 1, wherein the weight % of the part selected fromthe group consisting of a surfactant, a detergent, and the combinationthereof is from 5 to
 30. 14. A composition as defined in claim 1,wherein the weight % of the part selected from the group consisting of asurfactant, a detergent, and the combination thereof is about
 20. 15. Acomposition as defined in claim 1, wherein the weight % of the alkalimetal halide is about
 2. 16. A composition suitable for use as a washwater additive in wash water in a vehicle wash which compositionconsists of: (a) from 1 to 10 weight % of a micro-organism for degradinga substance selected from the group consisting of oil, fat and organicmaterial; (b) from 0.1 to 2 weight % of a preservative; (c) from 1 to 40weight % of a part selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, adetergent, and the combination thereof; (d) from 1 to 3 weight % of analkali metal halide; (e) a dye and; (f) the balance being water.
 17. Acomposition as defined in claim 2, wherein the weight % of themicro-organism is from 3 to
 8. 18. A composition as defined in claim 2,wherein the weight % of the micro-organism is about
 5. 19. A compositionas defined in claim 2, wherein the weight % of the preservative is from0.3 to
 1. 20. A composition as defined in claim 2, wherein the weight %of the preservative is about 0.5.
 21. A composition as defined in claim2, wherein the weight % of the part selected from the group consistingof a detergent or a detergent and a surfactant is from 5 to
 30. 22. Acomposition as defined in claim 2, wherein the weight % of the partselected from the group consisting of a detergent or a detergent and asurfactant is about
 20. 23. A composition as defined in claim 2, whereinthe weight % of the alkali metal halide is from 1 to
 3. 24. Acomposition as defined in claim 2, wherein the weight % of the alkalimetal halide is about
 2. 25. A composition suitable for use as adetergent composition in a vehicle wash which composition consists of:(a) from 1 to 10 weight % of a micro-organism for degrading a substanceselected from the group consisting of oil, fat and organic material; (b)from 0.1 to 2 weight % of a preservative; (c) from 1 to 40 weight % of apart selected from the group consisting of a detergent or a detergentand a surfactant; (d) from 1 to 3 weight % of an alkali metal halide;(e) a dye; and (f) the balance being water.